October 6

RetroPie Get Your Game ON! Alternate instructions

retroPie

Check list:

Download uzip and load them from here: http://blog.petrockblock.com/retropie/retropie-downloads/

Both images for Pi 1 and Pi 2 will need to be uncompressed before using.

You can then burn the images on to your micro SD using either:

  • osX:  ApplePi-Baker (http://www.tweaking4all.com/hardware/raspberry-pi/macosx-apple-pi-baker/)
  • Windows: Win32 Disk Imager (http://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/)

Once complete, put your card in the slot for the Pi “opposite the usb ports.

Plug in the HDMI cable to your Monitor/TV

Plug in the microUSB cable to power up.

Get the IP Address and then use it to use putty or terminal to log into the box

ssh_logincd /home/pi/RetroPie-Setup and run ./retropie_setup.sh

 

Once you are logged in expand the file system so you can use up all the space on the microSD using:

  • cd /opt/retropie
  • ./raspi-config
  • select 1.expand….
  • expand_overclock
  • finish and reboot

if you get STUCK in the retropie splash screen pull the microSD card and load it into a computer. Then open the config.txt file and remove the last four lines that look like “arm_freq” “core_freq”  etc...

 

Install Emulators/Update

  • (OPTIONAL)  locate libmupen64plus installed (*this is for better nintendo64 emulation)
    • locate libmupen64plus (to find libmupen64plus if not see next step)
    • google it! too many steps to list here…
  • cd /home/pi/RetroPie-Setup
  • ./retropie_setup.sh
  • start install process will take 30mins PLUS
  • Reboot and then Setup configuration
  • make sure permissions (user pi) are set for roms or you won’t be able to save the game state/place.
  • EVERY time you copy a rom over you will need to perform a “RESET ownership….”

 

sudo vim /opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch.cfg  (*around line 414)

*replace all existing so it looks like this

# Keyboard input, Joypad and Joyaxis will all obey the “nul” bind, which disables the bind completely,
# rather than relying on a default.
input_player1_a = a
input_player1_b = b
input_player1_y = y
input_player1_x = x
input_player1_start = enter
input_player1_select = s
input_player1_l = num1
input_player1_r = num2
input_player1_left = left
input_player1_right = right
input_player1_up = up
input_player1_down = down
input_player1_l2 = num3
input_player1_r2 = num4
input_player1_l3 = num5
input_player1_r3 = num6
# Two analog sticks (DualShock-esque).

sudo nano /opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch.cfg  (*around end of file)

*replace all existing so it looks like this

# network_cmd_port = 55355
# stdin_cmd_enable = false
input_enable_hotkey = s

# Player 1
input_player1_joypad_index = “0”
input_player1_a_btn = “11”
input_player1_b_btn = “12”
input_player1_y_btn = “15”
input_player1_x_btn = “14”
input_player1_start_btn = “22”
input_player1_select_btn = “21”
input_player1_l_btn = “17”
input_player1_r_btn = “18”
input_player1_left_btn = “2”
input_player1_right_btn = “3”
input_player1_up_btn = “0”
input_player1_down_btn = “5”
#END PLAYER 1
input_enable_hotkey_btn = “21”
input_exit_emulator_btn = “22”

Bluetooth controllers setup:

  • sudo apt-get install bluetooth bluez-utils blueman
  • sudo apt-get install bluez python-gobject
  • sudo nano /usr/bin/bluez-simple-agent
    • change  ‘KeyboardDisplay’  to  ‘DisplayYesNo
    • reboot
  • lsub  (to see if dongle is working)
  • hcitool dev  (device name…usually hci0)
  • Connecting device NES30:  HOLD START on your NES30 controller for 3 secs
    • 1. hcitool scan
    • 2. the above should result in a unique mac id like: ” 61:04:D3:93:71:01       8Bitdo NES30 GamePad”
    • 3. sudo bluez-simple-agent hci0 61:04:D3:93:71:01   (*your macID NOT THIS ONE)
    • 4. sudo bluez-test-device trusted 61:04:D3:93:71:01 yes
    • 5. sudo bluez-test-input connect 61:04:D3:93:71:01
    • 6. if you every have issues… remove with :
    • 7. sudo bluez-test-device remove 61:04:D3:93:71:01  (*Then start from step 3)
  • cd RetroPie-Setup
  • sudo ./retropie_setup.sh
  • x3  Setup / Configu…….
  • x317  Install RetroArch joypad autoconfigs
  • x3 Setup / Config……
  • x318  Configure input devices for RetroArch
  • 1 Configure joystick/….  follow directions.
  •  sudo vim /opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch-joypads/8BitdoNES30GamePad.cfg
  • for nes30 should look like:
  • input_device = “8Bitdo NES30 GamePad”
    input_driver = “udev”
    input_b_btn = “12”
    input_y_btn = “15”
    input_select_btn = “21”
    input_start_btn = “22”
    input_up_btn = “0”
    input_down_btn = “5”
    input_left_btn = “2”
    input_right_btn = “3”
    input_a_btn = “11”
    input_x_btn = “14”
    input_l_btn = “17”
    input_r_btn = “18”input_enable_hotkey_btn = “21”
    input_exit_emulator_btn = “22”

 

Install ROMs:

Roms must be in certain formats as described here:

 

 

 

January 30

add VPN on Centos

cd /usr/local/src
wget http://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/6/x86_64/epel-release-6-8.noarch.rpm
wget http://rpms.famillecollet.com/enterprise/remi-release-6.rpm
rpm -Uvh remi-release-6*.rpm epel-release-6*.rpm

yum install -y vpnc

make sure the ports needed are opened up otherwise this will fail.
i.e. 1723,1701,47,443,(TCP) 1701,500, 5500,4500(UDP)  if on aws you'll need to open it on server AND firewall
September 4

Chrome what happened?

Being an early adopter of Chrome and many of its benefits in speed etc… it now seems we see many of the common issues found in older browsers are no longer a stranger to chrome (*slower & bloated, profiles are corrupted weekly)…. In osX its absolutely horrid… if IE was still supported it may actually be worse?!? Safari is obviously the winner in speed for osX. Windows its a similar story especially if you’re running “too many” plugins/apps, which was one of the great things of using Chrome. Removing all the apps did make a difference but now I’m spending more time in FF and IE.. yes IE seems to have made quite a few improvements (*who would have thought??).

The newer version, of chrome 64bit, does seem better, there is still plenty of room for improvement….

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/new-issue-within-google-chrome-web-browser-reduces-laptop-battery-life-performance-1457339

https://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/list